Chapter 16
A Community of Tennessee Writers, Readers & Passersby

Toward Justice

Anthony Ray Hinton’s The Sun Does Shine comes to young readers

In a new young readers edition, Anthony Ray Hinton’s memoir The Sun Does Shine shares his story of wrongful imprisonment and triumph over injustice. Hinton will appear at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis on September 22 and at Belmont University in Nashville on September 25.

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Crisis Management

Dr. Alex Jahangir recalls the early days of Nashville’s battle with COVID-19

In his memoir Hot Spot, Dr. Alex Jahangir recounts his experiences leading Nashville’s COVID-19 Task Force. Dr. Jahangir will appear at the 2022 Southern Festival of Books in Nashville on October 14-16.

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When It All Falls Down

Toya Wolfe’s debut novel depicts girlhood friendship in a doomed housing project

Toya Wolfe pens a tribute to the public housing project where she grew up in her outstanding debut, Last Summer on State Street. Through the eyes of 12-year-old Fe Fe, we bear witness to the realities of Chicago’s infamous Robert Taylor Homes in this heartfelt coming-of-age novel. Wolfe will appear at the 2022 Southern Festival of Books in Nashville on October 14-16.

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The Displaced

Adria Bernardi’s Benefit Street is a lyrical tale of exile

At the heart of Adria Bernardi’s third novel are five female friends, displaced from their homes and trying to carry on in a new place. Bernardi will appear at the 2022 Southern Festival of Books in Nashville on October 14-16 and at The Porch in Nashville on November 9.

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Secrets and Questions

Julia Watts’ latest novel takes on faith, sexuality, and family loyalty

FROM THE CHAPTER 16 ARCHIVE: Kody, the 16-year-old protagonist of Julia Watts’ Needlework, secretly enjoys dressing up like his idol, Dolly Parton. When he receives a Facebook message from a young woman who claims to be his sister, Kody finds himself forced to keep more and more secrets from those he loves. Julia Watts will appear with Susan Underwood and Marianne Worthington at Union Ave. Books in Knoxville on September 25 and at the 2022 Southern Festival of Books in Nashville on October 14-16.

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When Home Is a Place You’ve Fled

Casey Parks examines her own life through a mysterious figure from the past

When journalist Casey Parks’ grandmother revealed fond memories of “a woman who lived as a man” in her rural Louisiana hometown, Parks undertook a decade-long search for the truth behind this elusive figure — an odyssey she documents in Diary of a Misfit: A Memoir and a Mystery. Parks will discuss Diary of a Misfit at the 2022 Southern Festival of Books in Nashville on October 14-16.

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